The 29-year-old Italian, Eugenio Amos, introduces himself on Twitter as follows: “Gentleman, husband, new father, car collector, Gran Turismo racer, part-time kickboxer, slow-food and extreme sport enthusiast.”A young, proud entrepreneur – with a hand in many projects, and who turned his passion for motors into a quasi-career – Amos told us about his ideas and his concept of style on the eve of an important race in the Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Belgium.

How did your passion for motors come about?I definitely got it from my father. In the 1980s, he participated in the Dakar Rally, when it was still a genuine adventure, with a truck to bring visibility to the work tools that the family company manufactured. And then, there are the racers of the olden days like James Hunt and Niki Lauda: true champions, practically rock stars, who struck my imagination.

You have a small car collection…Yes, I love to collect them. I buy them for a steal, fix them up, have fun, and then re-sell them. Sometimes, I take part in auctions to see amazing cars that are hard to find, just to look at them close-up. Mine are fun: I personally take care of them, as if they were little jewels. The one I am most proud of is my Martini Edition Delta Integrale: a car that, in my opinion, made history.

What is your personal style like when not racing?It’s not my natural habitat… I live it by reflex because I sometimes accompany my wife (Margherita Maccapani Missoni) to events and fashion shows. But I observe it from a distance. I don’t like excess and extravagance, the obligation to have an opinion about everything, and that certain know-it-all attitude.

Are you attached to your origins?Very much. I was born in Canada, but I have always lived in Varese. I love this place and I love the idea of knowing who I am and where I come from. I travel the world, both for work and to compete, but in the end, I love to go back to where I really feel at home. As if that weren’t enough, I married the sister of one of my best childhood friends. And at the moment, I live in the house where I used to come and play as a child.

You are a slow-food enthusiast…Yes and I am an enthusiast of food in general. I get by pretty well in the kitchen; when friends come to dinner, I’m the one that cooks. I like to prepare traditional Italian dishes, the ones I used to see my mother make. I consider myself a carb fanatic – I go heavy on the pasta dishes, but also do a lot of roasts.

In fact, the project you are about to launch is linked to food…Yes – with a friend, I just created a brand for a street food chain that will make its debut in London. It’s called Giallo. Our “restaurants” are Ape-Cars (small three-wheeled vehicles, yellow, obviously) in 1950s style, situated in strategic areas of the city. The menu revolves around polenta, a typical Italian dish that lends itself well to the street food concept. It will be served “on tap” and flavored with various toppings, just like frozen yogurt: there will be meatballs, vegetables, fish… all prepared with ingredients of the highest quality. The rotating menu was conceived by a good friend of mine who is also a chef.

Cars, street food… the street is a recurring theme.​Yes. It seems like my destiny. I worked in the real estate market for several years. I left it almost a year ago to dedicate myself to a project that is all mine. And in my opinion, the street is the place where people spend most of their time, where they live the most.